Small Open-Top Shop Bag

I use the small original Shop Bag for pretty much everything. I carry it folded in a larger bag (in the elasticized pocket inside my Synapse 19, for example) for overflow of items that accumulate during the day, to use during trips to the store, or to hold my kid's school papers/jacket/lunch box at preschool dropoff and pickup. Since the pandemic began, I have been using it daily to carry my devices, notebooks, and miscellaneous stuff around the house (as I frequently need to move around to accommodate all of us working and learning from home). It's currently holding: a travel mug in one of the side pockets, a 3DOC with small personal items in the other side pocket, a Chromebook (vertically, in a laptop sleeve), noise-cancelling headphones in their case, phone/office supplies/notebook in a small Freudian Slip, and a light sweater. The open top means that everything fits in easily and things can protrude out of the top and I can still carry it. The best thing about the Tom Bihn shop bags, as opposed to the many other reusable shopping bags or tote bags out there, is the handles. They actually fit over your shoulder and are comfortable to carry without slipping off.

Want to make cashiers happy? Buy this bag. Several cashiers have told me that they love my Original Small Shop Bags. As the bag is designed to stand up on its own it's easy to load with groceries. And the interior pockets are perfectly sized to hold a bottle of wine. Plus with the durable 200 Halcyon fabric no more spilled groceries when the flimsy bags the grocery store gives you rip!

Not only is the Original Small Shop Bag the perfect grocery bag but it's also a handy tote bag for everyday use. Use it to carry snacks/toys/water bottles while you're running errands, veggies from the farmer's market, library books, picnic lunches, hobby supplies, etc. And if you tuck the bag into one of the interior pockets it's easy to toss it into one of your bigger Tom Bihn bags or a suitcase.

I have both a black and purple original Small Shop bag (I like to switch it up) which I use exclusively as an EDC for work. It's handy for carrying my work laptop and charger along with my lunch, purse (Side Effect), a Cubelet used as a med kit and other bits and bobs. I clip my keys to a small strap fastened to one of the O rings. Work folders easily slip in there too. I've tried it as a travel bag - not very successfully because apparently travel bags need to be attached to my body, i.e., backpacks & crossbody bags, so I don't forget them. A few years ago, I left the purple Small Shop bag in an airport sitting area twice on the same trip!- luckily the people next to us saw I left it behind and brought it to me as we stood in the boarding line (yes, both times). It's also easy to clean, I use very diluted dish detergent to wipe it and rinse then hang to dry.